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One mech's trash is another mech's treasure
Iacon Plain The bright, golden light of Prima Facie and Altera lend this huge section of unbroken surface a soft glow, even through the thick layer of ground metal dust and debris that covers it. The flat, metallic plain continues as far as the optic to see, only to be broken in the distance by the broken ruins of a once great city. Like a Phoenix, the city of Iahex once rose from the ashes of Iacon, and like that same Phoenix, Iahex has once more burned itself out in the fires of war, returning again to ashes. Still, this dreary region of destruction and promises broken has an expectant quality to it, a waitfulness. The Phoenix's cycle is never-ending. Slugfest has arrived. Shadow has arrived. Pyramid Fighter flies into the Autobot's backyard, as it were. There may or may not be reconstruction going on around the path to the old site of Iacon and the surrounding plains, but Fusion chooses an rough approach through the hills to the west, flying over sheer cliffs and drops that most Autobots wouldn't be able to traverse. He stops at a ridge overlooking the plain, much too far for shooting (outside of the odd rocket with 30+ miles range). Fusion transforms into robot mode. Shadow transforms into his chopper mode. Bell 430 Helicopter is here as well! With Slugfest riding inside him. Yes, the dark-colored scout has decided to accompany Fusion, and throughout this time, he is mostly keeping quiet. He's used to being ignored, so he doesn't expect Fusion to pay much attention to him anyway. Slugfest is peering down through Shadow's canopy. His little tail is wagging and thwapping the back of the cockpit seat. "We finded anythings yet?" he asks, "Where lil spider? I no sees." Fusion nods sagely, as if Slugfest just said something profound. "Indeed, little Slugfest. Indeed." He falls silent in contemplation...then gives a start as a tiny handheld scanner starts beeping. "Wait, the signal is on the move." He raises it so that he's looking over the scanner at Iacon, then slowly lowers the scanner until it's pointing down at his feet. "It's not in Iacon at all. It's undergrand." After a brief pause he adds. "How very fortunate. For us, that is." It's not that Shadow is claustrophobic. He just prefers to stay in the air rather than go underground. He doesn't voice his concerns, however. "Indeed," he says as he hovers. No Autobots shooting at them is a good thing. Slugfest is a little disappointed he doesn't have Autobots to shoot at (or saw to bits), but a chance to go running around underground appeals to the little stego-tape. "Me catch spider!" he says. Fusion points down at a spot on the side of the hill. "Well - I think it's stopped, for now. But I don't see any openings. Any ideas how we're going to get inside of there?" "We could always use Slugfest," Shadow offers. Fusion hmms? "Use Slugfest...how?" he asks Shadow, talking over the little taposaur's head as if he wasn't there. Bell 430 Helicopter would smile were he in robot mode. "Slugfest's spikes function as a kind of chainsaw. We can use that to open an entrance for us." "Can cut open hole!" Slugfest says. He revs his little chainsaw plates loudly. Fusion looks dubious, but then nods. "Well...it's worth a try." He looks down the side of the hill. "I suppose it's best if one of us holds him in place." Fusion continues to look down for a bit, then turns to Shadow. "It sounds like you've worked with Slugfest before, it's probably best if you handle that." He steps off of the ridge and then hovers next to a spot on the hill, scanner raised. "Right here." Bell 430 Helicopter follows after Fusion. He comes to a stop beside him, then transforms in such a way that Slugfest is in his arms once he's done. "Are you ready, my friend?" he asks the tapebot. The black helicopter shifts into the form of Shadow. "Ready!" Slugfest says. He revs his chainsaw blades again. "Cut nao!" Fusion floats back a safe distance, although he still points at the side of the metal hill, indicating the place he thinks they should make their cuts. Shadow nods. He holds Slugfest in a way that keeps him safe from the chainsaw blades, and proceeds to use the tape to cut through the hill. The cutting goes much faster than expected - it turns out the walls of the 'hill' are actually pretty thin. Slugfest's spines makes quick work, and soon there's a makeshift entry into the side of a tunnel, some of the edges still smoking where the metal was shredded. Fusion nods in approval, then floats in closer. "Hmm...appears to be some sort of passageway." His voice shows an uncharacteristic hint of excitement. "This must be how that drone was moving underground." Slugfest makes a sound that goes "Rrrrrrrrrrrun, roddyroddyroddyroddy, rrrrrrrrrrun, roddyroddyroddyroddy" as he is wielded to cut through the obstructions. "Yaaaaaaaay!" he squeals. "Indeed," Shadow agrees. "You can stop now, Slugfest." Fusion leans into the opening, looking right and left, then steps inside. "Hmm...the tracking device shows that it went this way..." He turns to the right and is immediately brought up short by a large blast door. Slugfest stops sawing and then squirms so that he can wriggle out of Shadow's grasp and poke his head in the hole. Fusion looks at Shadow, then gestures at the opening. "Perhaps you should wait here, keep an optic out in case any Autobots look to their surroundings and notice our little hole." He turns back to the blast door, then looks at Slugfest. "While /you/...you can help with one more door." Looks like he lucked onto the right mix of Decepticons for this little adventure. Slugfest yays and starts sawing through the door. "Me get door open easy!" he says. Once Slugfest cuts halfway through, the locking mechanism is severed and the door unseals. "Excellent," Fusion notes. "Now we should just be able to slide it open with our own hands." He glances at Slugfest and then relents. "Oh very well...you can CUT through the rest of it." Finally the way is cleared. Inside is a messy, cluttered space. Dust, rust and scorch marks cover almost every surface. There are shelves and racks but all sit empty. A few bits of clutter in the corners looks like junk. The spider-drone and a few others sit in tiny recharge booths that are dark and nonfunctional. Fusion steps inside, then looks around. "Nothing," he sighs. Then he pauses, staring at a computer terminal. Below it is a data disc, snapped in half. He slowly reaches down, collects the pieces and holds them together. A perfect fit. "Well...maybe not." Slugfest scurries in alongside Fusion and noses around. The dust in the area causes the little tapecon to sneeze. "Lots of brokened stuff," he says, "This right place?" Fusion stows away the fragments of the disc, then looks around, gaze lingering on some of the scorch marks - where something probably exploded. "Oh, I think so..."